Improvement in finger-bars for harvesters



LONG, BLACK e ALLSTATTER.

Harvester Cutter.

Patented Dec. 1, 1857*.

lUNrTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J. M. LONG, PETER BLACK, AND ROBERT ALLSTATTER, OF HAMILTON, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN FINGER-BARS FOR HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 18,754, dated December 1, 1857.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, J. M. LONG, P. BLACK, and E. ALLs'rAr'rER., of Hamilton, in the county of Butler and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Finger-Bars for Harvesters; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming part ot' this specification, in which-v Figure l is an end view of linger-bar. Fig. 2 is a top View of finger-bar and tinger. Fig. i is a v1ew of same parts when inverted. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line .r x.

Similar characters of reference in the several figures denote the same part.

The nature of our inventionv consists in constructing the finger-bar of two metallic plates, one above and the other below the iingers, to which they are riveted, the upper sheet being set back upon the fingers and the under notched and bent upward between them until its edge is liush with their upper surface, so that besides the easy passage ot' the bar over the stubble, due to the turned-up edge of the lower plate, the front edge of the upper plate will constitute a rear guide for the cutter-bar, which by this construction is thrown well back, with advantages hereinafter to be set forth.

In the drawings, P P are the plates on opposite sides of the square-shanked finger B, and secured thereto by rivets R. The front edge of the lower plate, P, is notched and turned up between the fingers until the said edge e is iiush with the upper surface of the lingers. rlhe upper plate, P', is set back, so that the distance between its front edge, e', and the outer angle, e, ot' the turned-up edge e of the lower plate will be equal tothe distance between the rear edge of the cutter-bar and the vertex of the re-entrant angle formed by two consecutive teeth, whereby the cuttingedges ofthe teeth alone project in front ot' the lower portion, P, of the tingenbar.

ln Fig. 4, A shows the cutter-bar, and C the cutter, the rear ot' the said bar resting against the front edge, e', of plate P.

S is a steel plate riveted upon the finger, and having the outer edges of its upper sur'- face serrated. This upper surface is flush with the edge e ot' plate P and the upper surface of the finger-shank, and constitutes the bearing of cutting portion of cutter C.

The throwing behind the edge e of all the moving portion ot' the cutting apparatus in rear ot' the vertices of the angles formed by the cutting-edges of the teeth is an advantage, inasmuch as it serves to shorten the distance between the front of the iinger bar and that portion of the finger against which the grain is cut. The lateral pressure against the ingers is thus allowed less leverage, which is a security against their bending; and as the cutting thus takes place near the front ot' the tinger-bar the length of the fingers may be diminished.

The square shanlrs of the fingers B serve to give a firin connection between the fingers and the wrought metallic plates P P', to which they are riveted; and the upper surfaces of the iingers, between the edge e' of the upper plate, P', and the outer angle, c, of the turned-up edge e, serve, with' the said edge e, as the bearing of the cutter-bar A. The opening between the edges e and c and the space between the plates P P perform the function of carrying off all substances passing under the cutter-bar and discharging the same from the rear of the lnger-bar.

We expressly disclaim the formation of iinger-bars of a single sheet of metal rounded in front, and with the fingers passing through holes in the said rounded portion, as patented by Moore and Patch, November 25,1856; but

What we do claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the wrought metallic platesPP with the reciprocating cutter-bar A, cutters O, and square-shanked fingers B, said parts being constructed and arranged in relation to each other for joint operation in the manner shown and described, and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto signed our naines before two subscribing witnesses.

J. M. LONG. PETER BLACK. ROBERT ALLSTATTER. Witnesses:

S. CRANE, IsuAEL WILLIAMS, b. W. LUDLOW. 

